“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14)
The word “dwelt” could be translated as “tabernacled,” directly recalling the tabernacle or tent that served as the visible sign of God’s presence among the people of Israel during their Exodus wanderings. Jesus’ incarnation fulfills the prophecy of that tabernacle.
In fact, the entire Old Testament points to Christ’s coming. The December issue of The Lutheran Witness explores how the Old Testament portrays and points to the Second Person of the Trinity, the eternally begotten Son of God. Not only does it point to His coming in the flesh to die for the sin of mankind, but it also shows how He worked among His people.
The celebration of Christmas is not simply, therefore, a celebration of gifts — certainly not Santa Claus. But rather, it is a celebration of the fulfillment of the Old Testament promise that God would send someone greater than Moses — greater than the tabernacle and greater than all the laws and regulations of the old covenant — to live, dwell among and save mankind.
Pick up your copy of the December issue of The Lutheran Witness today and learn all about how Christ “tabernacles” among us. Visit witness.lcms.org to learn more; visit cph.org/witness to subscribe.
Posted Dec. 4, 2020
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